The Arizona Legislature remains recessed this week and is not slated to return until Monday, June 12 — but there’s still plenty going on with public education.
First, Congratulations Class of 2023! Our social media timelines are filled with images of high schoolers graduating, 8th and 5th graders promoting, and kindergarteners and preschoolers walking with pomp and circumstance. It’s an enormous reminder of the critical impact of public schools on our communities and on the future of our state. We are so grateful to every Arizona educator, administrator, staff member, cafeteria worker, bus driver, aide, and interventionist dedicating themselves to Arizona’s students.
Another day, another ESA voucher scam: This week, Gov. Hobbs declared a Ducey-era ESA voucher grant of $50 million illegal and invalid, and is working to claw those funds back from the Treasurer’s Office. The grant, signed by Ducey in one of his final acts as governor, improperly uses federal COVID relief dollars to fund all-day kindergarten for ESA voucher users — even though Arizona only funds a half-day for the 76,000 children who attend kindergarten at our public schools.
We applaud this rollback, but also caution that this one-time action does nothing to solve the state budget crisis, add financial accountability to the voucher program, or prevent vouchers from bankrupting the state. The ESA voucher program continues to balloon at 1,000 students per week (the vast majority of whom were already in private school, representing a brand new cost to the state). The program will likely double by next year at a cost of $1 billion every year. Neither Gov. Hobbs nor the Legislature has any plan to fund this massive, growing expense.
At least we’re not 49th: Meanwhile, a report released this week from the US Census Bureau shows Arizona remains 48th nationwide in per-student spending for public schools. Despite the increases Arizona has made in education funding, other states have moved the needle further. This means Arizona students are receiving 68% of what their peers receive for their K-12 education nationally. It also means Arizona students receive a staggering $4.5 billion less per year than the national average. Our students have one chance at an education — and because of decades of chronic underfunding, they are missing out on the classes, resources, extracurriculars, and experiences of their peers across the US.
Now, this is what we’re talking about! This week, the governor of North Carolina declared a State of Emergency for public education across the state. Gov. Cooper called on state legislators to protect North Carolina’s public schools (which he calls the “bedrock of North Carolina’s success”) by:
Sound like music to your ears? Us too! Use this one click email to ask Gov. Hobbs to follow suit here in Arizona: bit.ly/K12Emergency
Veto Fodder: As Republican culture-war bills trickle up to the governor’s desk, Gov. Hobbs is slowly but surely issuing vetoes on their all-out attacks on trans youth, educators, and public schools in general. Here are the public education-related bills that met with her veto stamp this past week:
The Legislature approved every single one of these bills on party lines, with only Republicans in support. We are grateful for Gov. Hobbs’ willingness to act as a backstop to prevent this harmful legislation from becoming law.
Your voice matters. A simple phone call or email to your lawmaker asking them to prioritize funding for schools and responsible policies for education goes a long way. In order for Arizona to move forward and thrive, these critical discussions need to take place. Find your legislative district here. Email and phone information for your representatives is here and your senator is here.
As the school year comes to a close, privatizers are ramping up their efforts to bolster the ESA voucher program. Pro-voucher special interest groups like the Betsy DeVos-backed American Federation for Children, Center For Arizona Policy (CAP), and CAP-backed Love Your School are pouring marketing dollars into Arizona to advertise vouchers prior to the new school year.
Despite the rollout of universal vouchers, public school enrollment is holding steady. To combat this, privatizers are doing anything they can to push vouchers in every way possible, including social media ads, texting, mailers, and even an ice cream truck.
Shockingly, even Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne was recently spotted in a TV ad promoting private school vouchers.
Meanwhile, charters like Great Hearts are opening private schools to rake in ESA voucher dollars with much less transparency and scrutiny. Great Hearts charters have been embroiled in legal battles and complaints over discrimination towards trans students and Black students. Converting to private schools will mean these schools face less oversight and fewer legal protections for students.
Special interests spent billions to push through universal ESA vouchers in Arizona – it should be no surprise that they are spending big to expand the program, ensuring a return on their investment.
Rural Action Summit
Saturday, June 3rd – Florence, AZ
More events are coming soon to Sierra Vista, Kayenta, and Yuma!
Education Advocacy Mini Sessions
Mondays at 6:30pm
5/29 – Letters to the Editor
6/5 – Social Media Advocacy
6/12 – Welcome to Team SOSAZ
We encourage you to scan this section and contact your senator or representatives directly, as applicable, on bills you care about.
Key:
⚠️= veto-proof bill
📥= on Gov. Hobbs’ desk
🗑️ = vetoed
☠️= dead
Ballot Referrals:
Attacks on Teachers & Curriculum:
Voucher Expansions:
Attacks on Schools, School Boards, Districts:
Resources & Accountability:
Frustrated by what you see here? Use our one-click email tool to tell lawmakers you want Arizona to focus on real education needs, not bloated boondoggles: bit.ly/prioritizepubliced
AZ Loves Public Schools Car Magnets & Yard Signs!
Be the first to order HERE!
Note: Yard signs are currently available only in Maricopa, Pima, and Yavapai Counties where our field team can personally deliver. Check back for more counties soon!
Order AZ Loves Public Schools Tees, Tanks & Sweatshirts on AMAZON!
Be the first to order HERE!
Don’t forget your red #PublicSchoolProud shirt – order HERE. While we get ready to change suppliers, we’re offering 2 shirts for your donation of $30, or one for an $18 donation. Wear Public School Proud gear to show your dedication to well-funded public education in Arizona!
Sign up for a Community Action Team: East Valley, West Valley & North Phoenix, Scottsdale & Paradise Valley, Central & South Phoenix, Northern Arizona, and Southern Arizona! Your local coordinators will help you with using Request to Speak and contacting your lawmakers.
Request an SOSAZ Education Roadshow presentation HERE
Sign up to automatically receive the SOSAZ Legislative Weekly Report HERE
